Linorra Week 2012
by sharks.with.lasers
Summary: Prompts for Linorra week on tumblr. Bloodstain: Lin stumbles through the door, half-dead after a triad attack.
1. Chapter 1

Korra scratched at the fabric under her arm.

"Stop that," Lin said, smacking her hand away.

"But it's really itchy!" Korra protested.

"This is a high society function and you cannot go around _scratching_ yourself," Lin said.

"Fine," Korra pouted.

Korra took the opportunity to scratch her itch whenever Lin had her back turned, making a face at the former Chief's back. When Lin turned back, however, the Avatar was the perfect picture of neutrality.

O-o

"Dance with me," Korra said awhile later, extending her hand to Lin.

Lin smiled, accepting Korra's hand.

"Oh no," Lin said a second later, grinning. "I'm leading."

"No, I am," Korra protested.

So they battled over who was leading for a few more minutes, before Korra sighed, giving up. Lin smirked, and Korra pouted. Soon, however, the matter dropped.

The song changed, becoming slower. Korra placed her head on Lin's shoulder, ignoring the looks she was receiving.

She sighed contentedly, closing her eyes, "This is really nice."

Lin rested her head on Korra's, also ignoring the looks.

"You know why I'm itchy?" Korra asked in a perfectly conversational voice.

"Why?" Lin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Asami took me shopping," Korra continued.

"I gathered that, when you grumbled about going, before coming home and collapsing on the couch, whining about how much you hate shopping. The couch, might I add, has not been the same since," Lin said, picturing the sagging arm of the couch. She assumed the dress was the cause of Korra's discomfort.

"But you didn't see everything I got," Korra said.

"You only had two bags," Lin said. "One for the dress, and one for the shoes."

"I got the shoes and the dress in the same place," Korra explained.

Lin raised her eyebrows, silently telling Korra to continue.

"I got something I think you'll like," Korra said with a smirk.

Lin hoped Korra couldn't hear the increase in her heart rate. She tried to remain neutral, "Oh?"

Korra nodded, "It's this lacy bra."

Lin had never seen Korra in a bra; the Avatar preferred to use the bindings popular in the Southern Water Tribe.

"That sounds… nice," Lin managed.

"It's blue," Korra said.

The mental image Lin was contending with meant she could not formulate a reply.

"But it's so itchy," Korra continued. "That's why I didn't wear the matching underwear."

"You didn't?" Lin asked, her voice higher than she would've liked.

"No. I didn't wear anything," the last word was a breath in Lin's ear.

Though Lin's face was carefully neutral (a talent she had perfected in her years as police chief), Korra could tell that her mission was accomplished. So she skipped off to dance with Tenzin, leaving Lin to fester.

"Oh, no, you don't," Lin growled.

"Excuse me, Tenzin, but could I steal Korra? I need to… ah… go over something with her; Avatar to Police Chief."

"Of course, Lin," Tenzin said genially, stepping back.

"Oh? What would this something be, Lin?" Korra grinned.

Lin did not reply; she simply led her to an out-of-the-way closet and closed the door.

A moment later Lin groaned. Korra smirked into her neck.

"Did you think I was lying?"

"When we get home…"

Lin and Korra left as quickly as was polite.

"You know," Lin mused an hour later, hands crossed behind her back, "I'm not normally a fan of lace. But that…"

"You aren't?" Korra asked, kissing her jaw. "Why's that?"

"Unpleasant memories of my grandparents' house. My mother would take me, once a year, and I'd have to wear _high society clothes_." She said this like it was a foul word. Wrinkling her nose, she continued, "And shoes."

"You didn't like wearing shoes?" Korra grinned.

"What earthbending child does?"

"I did."

"You lived in the South Pole. Of course you had to wear shoes."

"Guess so," Korra said.

"You know… we left that party a little early," Korra mused a moment later. "Any reason for that?"

Lin didn't blush, like Korra was hoping. Instead, she smirked, "My girlfriend is pretty needy. Can't go three and a half hours without sex."

"Oh?" Korra asked. "It was your girlfriend that wanted to leave?"

"I'd say she was pretty eager, judging by her performance in the satomobile on the way home," Lin said.

"And it had nothing to do with the fact that you wanted to see her in lace underwear."

"Underwear implies she was wearing bottoms. I assure you, she was not."

"And… how did that make you feel?"

"Hmmm…. Well, I was worried that somebody would notice how wet she was through her dress."

"Well… what if she were to tell you that she never wears underwear when she meets with the council?"

Lin's mouth felt very dry, "I suppose I'd tell her that I plan on seeing whether or not she was telling the truth, tomorrow after the council meeting. On my desk."

"On your desk?" Korra quoted with a grin. "Oh, my, Chief Beifong; how very kinky of you!"

"Yes. And I'd also tell her that I want her to wear that lace bra again."

"She'd probably respond, 'when I said I don't wear underwear when I meet with the council, I meant I don't wear underwear when I meet with the council."

"At all?" Lin choked out.

"Not a scrap," Korra confirmed.

Lin found that, again, Korra was telling the truth.


	2. Chapter 2

Korra struggled against the restraints, hoping that seventeen years of hard-earned muscle could rip through the metal. Then… then she'd knock down the wall in a similar fashion, and run to the safety of behind Tenzin's cloak, before…

Oh, crap.

Too late.

Korra's desperate plans to escape her probably furious girlfriend were thwarted when said girlfriend entered the room. Korra stopped struggling against her restraints, as if being the model prisoner would help her situation.

But when Korra looked up to face Lin, she didn't feel the desire to escape. Lin's angry look was not setting her on fire. Instead, Lin just looked tired.

"Korra," she said, dropping the file on the table and rubbing her fingers over her temples. "Why?"

"Baby, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"To what, Korra? To tear apart an entire street, smash a man through a window, and proceed to evade arrest?" Lin said, putting her hands on the table.

"He was Triple Threat-"

"He could've killed you," Lin said quietly.

"Lin… were you… do you _worry _about me?"

"Of course I worry about you!" Lin said. "You go out, hunting down triads every day-"

"That's my job. I'm the Avatar."

"Korra, these guys are the real deal. They will rape you, rob you, murder you… I cannot stress enough how dangerous it is for you to go looking for them. _By yourself._"

Korra took Lin's hand from the confines of her restraints. When she couldn't lift it to her mouth, she bent her head down to Lin's hand, kissing a knuckle before saying, "I'm sorry to have worried you."

"But not for going after the triad."

"Lin, you have to understand-"

"Come with me," Lin said. Korra stood from the chair, and Lin lifted the table restraints with metalbending. Lin guided Korra with a firm hand on her shoulder, while Korra's still-shackled hands twitched.

They ended up in Lin's office. Lin pushed Korra into the chair in front of her desk, before digging around in her desk for files. When she had a sizable stack, she stopped.

"Maylin Sung," she said quietly, opening the file. To the left, there was a picture of a pretty girl with black hair. On the right, however, was an underfed, ill-looking young woman with lank hair, sickly-looking skin, and dark shadows under her eyes. Bruises and cuts adorned her face. With a jolt, Korra realized it was the same girl.

Lin moved to the next file, "Li Jun." The man in the left picture was about Korra's age, with a girl on either arm. The right picture showed a bloody room, with a broken-looking man on the ground. "Permanently paralyzed from the neck down."

After opening the next file, Lin looked down, as if it were something she'd reviewed many times herself. When she spoke, she didn't look up again; either because she couldn't, or she didn't need to in order to recite the file. Her voice was thick, "Lao Yi, one of the finest young metalbenders the city had to offer. Lots of talent, lots of promise. Very handsome. Had a wife, a little girl, and another one on the way. Killed," Lin's voice cracked, "on the way to buy milk." The left picture showed a strikingly handsome young man with an air of modesty and attractive gray eyes. The right picture showed something that was simply too horrible to describe; it shocked the Avatar to tears.

"So, yes, Korra," Lin said, looking up. Her face was hard, but her eyes watered. "I worry."

Korra stood, walking over next to Lin. Lin turned her head away, so Korra kissed her cheek instead.

"I had no idea, Lin," Korra said softly. "And… you carry this around with you. There's a reason it's in the drawer, not some filing cabinet."

"They're people," Lin said softly. "Not numbers. They're people who I've failed."

"They aren't numbers, and they are people," Korra agreed in a soothing tone. "But you didn't fail."

She raised her shackled hands to cradle Lin's face, wiping away the tears with her thumbs.

"I won't go looking for the triads anymore," Korra said. "I don't want to cause you any more hurt."

"Thank you. That's a load off my shoulders." Lin slid the desk chair back to give room for Korra to sit in her lap.

Korra rested her head on Lin's shoulder, her breath tickling Lin's neck. Lin wrapped her arms around the Avatar, holding her to her body.

"If something's worrying you, or bothering you, or you want to vent, or cuddle, or fuck, or make love… please, come to me, Lin."

"I… will try. Please understand how difficult it is for me."

"I do," Korra said, kissing Lin's jaw. "And the effort makes my heart swell."

Lin allowed her head to rest on Korra's.

"If you tell anybody I cried…" Lin said a moment later.

"Nobody would believe me," Korra assured her.

Lin smiled into Korra's hair, "No. They wouldn't."


	3. Chapter 3

It was very difficult to canoodle on the couch in the living room, Lin thought. For one thing, there were airbabies bouncing in and out at about a hundred miles per hour. That boy, Mako, kept sulking in and glowering for a few minutes before slinking out again when Lin met his glare with a raised eyebrow. Bolin was happy for the two, but didn't understand that Lin and Korra wanted alone time, no matter how many subtle hints were dropped. Asami winked and left them in peace.

"This is nice," Korra said from her place resting against Lin's torso.

"We haven't been alone for more than two minutes," Lin informed her.

"I know. It's just… this base used to be so big and empty. It was me, a master, and the White Lotus sentries growing up. I feel like… I have a big, happy family here."

Lin gave Korra's ribs a squeeze, "I'm glad you're happy."

"You don't mind, do you?" Korra asked.

"No, I don't," Lin said sincerely. It was good to see Korra so happy; and worth the tradeoff.

"Hey, I know what we can do for some quiet!" Korra exclaimed.

"Pema said not until the kids are asleep," Lin reminded her.

"What? Oh! No, not that," Korra said with a grin, swatting Lin's arm. Lin chuckled.

"What, then?"

"Let's take a walk!" Korra said as if it were the best idea ever thought of.

"…A walk?" Lin asked, gesturing to the snow outside.

"We're in the _South Pole, _Lin; it's always snowing," Korra laughed, bouncing with excitement. "Remember how I told you I wanted to show you the ice cliffs? And the bay? And the-"

"Ko_rra_, it's cold outside!" Lin protested.

"So wear a parka," Korra suggested. "I have five."

"I don't know…" Lin said.

Korra turned in Lin's arms, giving her a look with sad, wide blue eyes, and a trembling lower look. Lin knew she was a goner.

"Alright, fine," Lin sighed.

"Yes!" Korra cried, bouncing around the room. "C'mon, Lin; you'll love it!"

So, twenty minutes later, Lin was wearing Korra's thickest parka, two pairs of pants, a scarf, gloves, and a hat. Korra's only outfit change was a jacket over her tank top.

"C'mon, Lin!" Korra shouted gleefully, kicking through the snow.

"I'm coming; I'm coming," Lin grumbled, trudging as best she could through the snow.

Korra came bouncing back over. "We're almost to this beautiful ice cave! C'mon, I know a shortcut."

Korra didn't wait for Lin's reply; she simply grabbed the older woman's hand and began bending the snow in front of them to ice, dragging Lin along behind her. Lin had abandoned any pretense of the in-control, serious police Chief; screaming while Korra laughed madly.

"Here we are," Korra said, stopping the ice. Lin fell forward, hitting the snow with an _oomph._

"I may have left my stomach back there somewhere," Lin informed her.

Korra didn't seem to hear Lin, grabbing her hand and leading her a little way into the cave. "Isn't it beautiful?"

The cave went from being a stone fixture to something entirely beautiful. The ceiling was entirely ice, with thick stalagmites dangling downwards. The setting sun shone through the ice, illuminating the cave.

Korra turned to face Lin. Due to their exhilarating ice ride, her hair had come loose from its confines, framing her face; her face was flushed; her lips slightly parted as she panted; her eyes excited.

"It is," Lin answered honestly. "But not nearly as much as you."

Korra blushed.

The moment was broken by howling and thudding.

"Polar bear dogs," Korra said, adopting a waterbending stance. "Get behind me, Lin."

"What? But-" Lin was cut off.

"You can't bend here," Korra said, moving in front of Lin.

At the mouth of the cave were a handful of polar bear dogs. They were nothing like Naga; they growled with their teeth bared. Their demeanor was so entirely different that they struck Lin as an entirely different animal.

Lin cursed in her head. There was no earth to bend. Her cables were back at the compound. She had no weapon. She was useless.

Korra made a battle cry akin to a howl, and a stalagmite snapped from the roof and dropped into her hand. She threw it like a javelin, hitting one polar bear dog. She seemed to only make it angrier. The pack advanced slowly.

Korra punched the ground, causing the snow to ripple like water and then turn to ice. It hit the pack, but didn't seem to stop them. They began to charge.

Korra cast a glance over her shoulder at Lin; her expression was desperate. Then, her resolve settled. Lin saw her eyes harden, her stance renewed.

Korra knelt on one knee; as she did so, she punched her fist into the ground. Snow from the roof shook loose. Korra looked over her shoulder at Lin one last time, her expression hard but her eyes sad as she was buried in the thickly packed snow.

"Korra!" Lin shouted. "Korra!"

Lin knelt by where she saw Korra take her last stand, digging desperately. She made little headway; the snow was thickly packed. But Lin wouldn't quit.

She was on the verge of tears when the snow around her began to glow.

Korra crawled through the tunnel she'd made with firebending, dripping wet and gasping for breath. Lin pulled her out when her shoulders came through.

Korra's hair was matted with snow and ice. She was sopping wet and shivering, clinging to Lin.

Lin hesitated for a second, trying to think of what to do.

Lin pulled off Korra's wet jacket, her tank top, and then her bindings. While Korra shivered violently, Lin removed the outer layer of her parka, then the inner layer; putting the inner layer on Korra, figuring it had more body heat. Lin then removed the rest of Korra's clothes, putting the second pair of pants she was wearing on Korra. She also wrapped her scarf around the avatar.

Korra groaned.

"Korra?" Lin asked. "Korra, can you hear me?"

"Mmph… Lin… so cold."

"I know. I did my best. How do you feel?"

"I'm okay," Korra said, sitting up. "I can probably bend us out of here-"

"You need to rest."

"Hmph," Korra said, standing up all the way. She frowned, looking down in confusion. "Where are my clothes?"

"They were wet, so I took them off," Lin explained.

"I don't want both of us to be cold," Korra said.

"I'm not cold," Lin lied.

Korra raised an eyebrow at her.

"Alright, well, I am. But I was also cold before."

Flames danced across Korra's palms.

"You shouldn't be bending!" Lin protested, but stopped when the flames neared her cold body.

Korra did something similar; a technique she called "breath of fire."

"We can't travel back in the dark; that's when the polar bear dogs hunt. And it isn't safe," Korra said, casting a glance at the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Lin."

Lin actually grinned, "Well, we'll be alone, won't we?"

"Yeah," Korra grinned back. "I guess we will."

The sun set. The light from the trillions of stars that dotted the night sky cast a glow around the cave. Korra sat with her back against a wall, while Lin rested in between her legs. The Avatar kept both of them warm.


	4. Chapter 4

Korra was not worried when Lin was fifteen minutes late. She wasn't worried when Lin was twenty minutes late, or half an hour late.

At the forty-five minute mark, she began to worry.

At one hour, she was pacing the room.

Two hours after Lin said she would be home, Korra's nails had been bitten to the quick, her hair pulled out of its usual ponytails.

About an eternity later, Lin stumbled through the door.

"Lin!" Korra cried.

Lin collapsed in Korra's arms. Her armor was dented, torn apart, and in some places even ripped. She bled heavily.

"Oh, spirits, Lin!" Korra cried, holding up the woman who couldn't stand.

"Ko...rra," Lin managed.

"What happened?" Korra demanded.

"Red Monsoon," Lin said.

"Stay awake," Korra said, the tears coming to her face. "Stay with me, baby."

Why was she so frantic? Korra thought to herself. Katara wouldn't have even flinched.

Korra peeled off Lin's armor as quickly as she dared, and the sight she saw made her heart beat frenetically in terror.

Blood stuck Lin's tank top to her body. Korra panicked for a moment, before hearing Katara's calming voice in her head.

_The bathroom._

Of course! Korra smacked her forehead with her hand.

"Lin?" she asked gently, brushing away some of the stray hair from her face. "Can you stand?"

Lin didn't respond; probably because she was unconscious.

_Carry her, _Katara's voice said. _Gently! _

Korra wrapped one arm around Lin's shoulders, using her other hand to cradle Lin's head against her shoulder. After Korra was satisfied that Lin's head would not roll off, her other arm went under Lin's knees. Korra made sure she stood up slowly, grunting with the effort it took.

She carried Lin to the bathroom, wincing every time she accidentally knocked her partner against a wall.

Korra set Lin down gently on the tiled floor before kneeling over her. She hesitated for a moment to decide what to do; then, she ripped the tank top up the middle as slowly as she could.

Lin whimpered when Korra had to pull away the tank top; it had been cemented to her body by dried blood.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, babe," Korra whispered, kissing Lin's collarbone before turning on the shower. Korra made sure the water was cool, but not cold.

She healed Lin's upper body to the best of her abilities.

_You worked with Katara, _she said to herself. _So why can't you do this? Come on. You must have _some_ worth._

Korra did her best to ignore herself; instead pulling off Lin's trousers and healing the worst of the lacerations and bruises.

Korra held her breath for a moment that spanned an eternity. Eventually, Lin groaned.

"Korra?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"I'm here, I'm here," Korra said, taking Lin's hand between hers and kissing it.

"Water," she managed.

"Right; of course," Korra said.

Korra bent more water from the still-running shower and propped Lin's head up in her lap.

Lin groaned as the first of the water touched her lips. Korra kept the hand that was not busy bending on Lin's stomach.

"Thank you," Lin said.

"How come you didn't go to a hospital?" Korra demanded.

Lin shook her head, "You were closer. I need to-"

"You need to lie down and rest," Korra said firmly.

"But-"

"No buts. Seriously, Lin, you scared me. I thought you were going to die."

"I knew I wasn't going to die," Lin informed her with a slight smile.

"How?" Korra demanded.

"Because I was with you," she said simply.

"Come on," Korra said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Let's get you to bed."

Lin tried to sit up, but Korra placed a hand on her chest.

"Not on your life," Korra said.

She scooped Lin into her arms again, cradling her closely instead of holding her as gingerly as possible. While balancing Lin's weight between her right arm and her torso, Korra shut the shower off. She pulled the covers down with one arm, and held Lin with the other. She set her partner down on the bed before sliding in beside her.

"Korra, I need to fill out a report," Lin said, her eyes becoming more focused. "It was a totally unprompted attack, while I was out of uniform. The other officers need to know-"

"They can wait until morning," Korra said. "Please don't ever scare me like that again."

Lin didn't answer. That was a promise she could not make. She would do her best, of course; but there was always something, as the scars on her face could attest to.

When she felt Korra sigh behind her, Lin knew her partner had deduced the reason for her silence. When she felt Korra's arm tighten around her, she knew they would be alright.

* * *

**AN: **I'm going to continue these prompts until I've finished. I like to think of it as being fashionably late. Also, please check out my fic, City Lights; wherein Asami is a triad boss. A major focus is the ongoing triad war. There will be Linorra, Linsami, and Korrasami. I'd really like some feedback on it.


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